1. Technical Field
Exemplary aspects of the present invention relate to a powder container that stores powder used for image formation, and an image forming apparatus including the powder container.
2. Related Art
Image forming apparatuses such as copiers, printers, facsimile machines, or multifunction peripherals having two or more copying, printing, and facsimile functions include detachable toner cartridges.
For example, a related-art image forming apparatus as illustrated in FIG. 43 includes a plurality of toner cartridges 300Y, 300M, 300C, and 300Bk (also referred to collectively as toner cartridges 300) detachably disposed in a rotatable cartridge holder 1020. In FIG. 43, when a cover 1010 of the image forming apparatus is opened, each of the toner cartridges 300 can be removed upward from the cartridge holder 1020. Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 44, when the cartridge holder 1020 is rotated upward with the toner cartridges 300 attached, the cartridge holder 1020 together with the toner cartridges 300 can be retracted from a position above process units 1110, 1110M, 1110C, and 1110Bk (also collectively referred to as process units 1110). Such a configuration enables the process units 1110 to be attached and detached without having to remove the respective toner cartridges 300.
Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 45, each of the toner cartridges 300 includes a shutter 600 and each of the process units 1110 includes a shutter switch 1100 in an upper portion thereof to open the shutter 600. The shutter switch 1100 protrudes upward through an insertion hole 1180 formed on the bottom of the cartridge holder 1020. In FIG. 45, the toner cartridge 300 is representative of the toner cartridges 300Y, 300M, 300C, and 300Bk, and the process unit 1110 is representative of the process units 1110Y, 1110M, 1110C, and 1110Bk.
In this case, when the toner cartridge 300 is attached to the cartridge holder 1020 held horizontally, an engaging portion 600a of the shutter 600 engages the shutter switch 1100. Such engagement pushes up the engaging portion 600a as illustrated with a broken line in FIG. 45, thereby rotating and opening the shutter 600. Moreover, the cartridge holder 1020 may be rotated downward from the orientation illustrated in FIG. 44 with the cartridges 300 attached to the cartridge holder 1020. In such a case, the shutter switch 1100 passes through the insertion hole 1180 to engage the engaging portion 600a, so that the shutter 600 is opened. Accordingly, such a structure enables the engaging portion 600a to engage the outer shutter switch 1100 such that the shutter 600 is opened regardless of when the toner cartridge 300 is attached or the cartridge holder 1020 is rotated downward.